Lesson Plan by Dorine Morse

Grade 3

The object of this lesson is to familiarize the students with the
fundamentals of listening to music and reading the music.  The software
used will be Music Ace.

Procedure:  As a group the children will observe the computer screen
during class time and participate verbally either as a group or
individually in the program.  Then they will be shown the other options
of the Music Ace one of which are the composing doodle pad.  They will
then be able to do some experimenting of their own. A teacher will work
closely with the children during this process.  It will take several
weeks for all the children to have a turn at the doodle pad.

Wrap-up:  Students share their compositions with the class.

Lessons developed by Robert Blaney

Lesson #1
OBJECTIVE:  Students in advanced Middle School Band will write out their
own 16-bar instrumental solo section to “Louie, Louie” and perform for
classmates.

MATERIALS:  Sheet Music to “Louie, Louie”, blank pieces of sheet music,
pen or pencil, instruments, music stands, practice rooms.

PROCEDURE:  For half of the period, half of the students will be in an
individual practice space, writing and learning how to play their solo
section.  The other half will be practicing accompaniment to “Louie,
Louie”.  The groups will then swap areas.  We will spend two periods on
this activity.  Soloists will go in alphabetical order when premiering
solos.

CLOSURE/ EVALUATION: After two days of writing and practicing, students
will play “Louie, Louie” and each student will have 16 bars to perform
their solo section.  They will be graded 60% on completion and accuracy
of written work and 40% on performance.

Lesson #2
OBJECTIVE:  For Beginning Middle School Band Students, students will be
read and perform on an instrument, using first ten songs from a music
textbook.

MATERIALS:  Instruments, Chalkboard, “How to Play Music, Part 1”
textbooks, music stands.

PROCEDURE:  Using the textbook, we will play through first ten songs in
book taking time to correct and instruct as we go.  I will isolate
rhythm notations on chalkboard, and instruct their musical
significance.  I will conduct using a baton to keep tempo.  I will also
be available for personal lessons and practice time.

CLOSURE/ EVALUATION:  If, after one marking period, students can play
songs effectively and have shown true effort and desire to continue
learning music, they will move on in the textbook to next, more
challenging songs.  If not, they will fall behind and have to use more
practice time to make up the work.
 

Lessons developed by Melissa Rostkoski

OBJECTIVE:  By using "Finale", a music composition/ printing program,  High
school music theory students will create & print original songs to be
performed by classmates.

MATERIALS:  Windows 95 or 98; color monitor (preferred, but not necessary),
sound card, MIDI instrument to input data (preferred, but not necessary),
and A LOT of paper!

PROCEDURE:  Students will have to sign up to schedule computer time, as only
one computer has FINALE98.  They will also have to sign in & out of the
electronic music lab.  Students will take compositions that they have been
working on and input notes, lyrics (if applicable) and various musical
symbols through use of the computer's mouse, keyboard and MIDI synthesizer.

CLOSURE/ EVALUATION:   Their "masterpieces" will be handed out to the
musicians.  Students' original works will be performed at a "mini" concert
in the music room during lunches.  Students' will be graded on effort (how
much time they spend in the lab as noted in the sign in book) and if the
piece "works" (technically/ theoretically).

Lesson #2
OBJECTIVE:  Students will use "Juilliard Music Adventure CD-Rom" to learn
to identify instruments by sound and begin to develop an appreciation for
various musical styles.

MATERIALS:  PC or Macintosh (software is compatible with both); color
monitor; sound card & speakers.

PROCEDURE:  Over the course of one week, during music class, Students will
be assigned to log in, in order to save their games and scores.  They will
be given a due date in which individual games must be completed.  During
each student's session he/she will need to recall previously taught
information in order to answer questions correctly.

CLOSURE/EVALUATION:  At the end of the week, students will be asked about
the different families of instruments and various styles of music that
they were exposed to.  They will be graded on oral response and on their
scores from "Juilliard Music Adventure".